Saltwater Fish
Saltwater fish inhabit all kinds of costal and open ocean water. They're very plentiful and many are excellent table fare. They can challenge you and your equipment when you hook one, because they're strong fighters, and some species grow to huge sizes.
Ten popular saltwater fish are:
Barracuda: A big toothy saltwater fish that puts up a strong fight when hooked.
Bluefish: Schooling blues can hit anything thrown at them and are easy to catch and good to eat.
Bonefish: A shallow-water flats fish known for its fast, long runs when hooked.
Cod: A bottom-dwelling fish that is excellent to eat.
Croaker: An inshore bottom-feeding fish that is very good to eat.
Drum: A bottom-feeding fish that puts up a strong fight and is good to eat.
Flounder: These flatfish lie on the bottom and have both eyes on one side of their head. They're very good to eat.
Shark: A wide variety of sharks inhabit salt water and all fight hard.
Snapper: An excellent food fish that lives in warmer waters.
Striped Bass: These hard-fighting fish spawn in freshwater rivers and live in salt water.
These saltwater fish are widespread and you can find some of them in most areas. Watch for information about these fish near where you live and check at the docks when boats come in to see if they've caught any of them.
Advantages of Saltwater Fish
If you live near the coast you have access to a wide variety of fish. They outnumber their freshwater cousins in species as well as individual fish. Fish in salt water usually feed more voraciously so they're often easier to catch. And you can fish for them in a wide variety of ways, from putting a bait out on the bottom to trolling offshore. Many people are willing to travel long distances to enjoy fishing for saltwater fish.
Disadvantages of Saltwater Fish
Some kinds of saltwater fish are hard to get to without spending a lot of money. If you don't live near the coast you have to travel long distances to get to them, and some species don't come in close to shore so you have to go out in a boat. The sea can get very dangerous so you must have a boat that can handle it. And many saltwater fish have teeth that make handling them more difficult. When fishing salt water you're not at the top of the food chain!
Be even more careful when handling saltwater fish than you are with freshwater fish. Never put your fingers in the mouth of a saltwater fish without carefully checking first. Almost all saltwater fish have teeth or bony plates in their mouths that will hurt you.
Big-Game Fish
Unless you just won the lottery you probably won't start your fishing experience with big-game fish. Even if you go out on a charter boat, the cheapest way to fish for marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tuna, and other huge saltwater fish, it will cost you at least $600 a day. Some people get a taste of big-game fishing by chartering a boat while on vacation. Although it's expensive, you get a full day on the water and the experience of fishing for these kinds of fish. If you're already in an area where charters are available, consider it. You might even be able to find another fisherman or two to join you and split the costs.
